Slave Crown
by Archdruid-Sephiroth
Summary: One year after the death of a god, Terra is plagued by new nightmares about her time as a puppet of The Empire. But could these nightmarish memories be trying to point her towards something else? Something important... Terra x Kefka, implied Terra x Setzer. Rated for violence and mature/dark themes. Reader discretion is advised. One Shot.


**A/N:** I don't own Final Fantasy VI... well I own a copy of the game but you get the point...

**A/N2:** This fic contains graphic scenes and pretty much displays Kefka Palazzo as the psychotic monster he really is. Reader discretion is advised.

* * *

**Archdruid Sephiroth Presents**

**A Final Fantasy VI One Shot**

**Slave Crown**

* * *

Silently through the night, an airship glided over the world. Below and several hundred miles to the north, there lies a small sleepy town known as Mobliz. Though the world was shattered, it remains one of the few places a person can find comfort anymore in this world. The cold air grips the young woman walking the wooden deck of this flying boat. Though she is covered, her sheer nightgown does little to protect her form the night air, though the reason she is shivering has nothing to do with the cold.

Life continues on in the sleepy town, and its inhabits lay blissfully unaware of the young woman's torment. Two years ago, this young woman was the key to a new revolution... a link between two desperate species trying to survive. One year ago, she lost her unique gifts as the monster that ruined the world died and magic died with him. If this were the extent of her misery, she could live with it easily... but unfortunately for her... some wounds are much deeper.

On the bow, she gazed out over the landscape. Only darkness greeted her. Even a year after the demise of the God of Magic, the sun had yet to be seen in this dark world. This young woman began to believe that in fact, the world would never recover, and would slowly but surely die.

A hand touched her shoulder causing her to jump. Her head turned and her eyes quickly darted to the man behind her. An audible sigh of relief escaped her lips when she realized who it was.

"You are jumpy this evening," the man said. His long, wavy white hair was blowing slightly in the wind. "Why are you even out here? It's cold, come inside."

"I'm sorry," the green haired young woman replied. "I couldn't sleep... my nightmares woke me again."

Setzer looked upon her with concern. Shortly after the mad god was defeated, Terra Branford began to experience bad dreams and suffered a nervous breakdown. Setzer became a beacon of light in her life and tried show her comfort, even long after everyone else seemed to abandon her. Of course, the rest of her friends didn't actually do so, but they had lives of their own to return to.

Locke and Celes were making a new life for themselves with Celes having finally buried her blades and officially becoming a performer at the opera house. She was even taking lessons from Maria herself, the girl Setzer once tried to kidnap.

Edgar and Sabin returned to Figaro to help rebuild the once great kingdom. Cyan and the wild child Gau joined them to help out as much as possible, Cyan because he wanted to be a retainer for a great king again, and Gau because he looked up to Cyan as a father figure.

Straigo unfortunately died of old age about six months ago. Shadow and Relm left for Thamasa shortly after to put him to rest, but haven't been heard from since then.

Mog accompanied Umaro back to Narshe, presumably to return to his normal life with the rest of the Moogles in the caves, and Gogo simply disappeared without so much as a word, not that he/she/it ever talked in the first place.

Setzer returned to the skies on board the airship Falcon, and Terra accompanied him. The two of them alone traveled the world and did what they could to help the people. Though noble work wasn't exactly Mister Gabrianni's forte, the work made Terra happy, and he dealt with it for her sake. Unfortunately her dreams have been hurting her where the rest of existence, thanks to Setzer, could not. But despite his help...

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

Terra shook her head. "You always ask me that."

"And I always will," he replied immediately. "Did it not occur to you that perhaps sharing the dreams might help you lose the pain they bring. Perhaps if you stop swallowing the pain, it will leave you be."

"I can't do that," Terra replied with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry but... it... it's too painful to speak of."

"I see," Setzer replied. "If you ever change your mind... you know I won't judge you."

The look Terra gave him confirmed his theory about what these "dreams" were. Ever since Terra was found in the caves below Narshe by Arvis, she'd had amnesia. Though much of her memory returned when she was exposed to the Magicite of the Esper Ramuh, there were still major gaps that her mind refused to give back to her.

The dreams were not dreams at all... they were memories... memories so terrible, that she could not speak of them to anyone. Setzer could not imagine what could be so bad as to warrant the desire to take such memories to her grave if possible, but he would never push her to into telling him. Instead he walked back below decks and left her in peace.

For Terra's part, she wished Setzer would stop asking her about it. She placed her left hand over her tummy below her naval, still feeling an echo of the pain her mind conjured up. In many ways, Terra wished to whatever gods may still exist that what she saw was her overactive imagination showing her fears that didn't really come to pass... but a part of her knew with near certainty that the nightmares that visited her every night were all too real.

A year after the death of Kefka Palazzo, he was still tormenting her...

* * *

**Eight Years Ago**

* * *

"Let... me... go!"

A young girl with green hair, all of 12 years old was dragged into the tower. The unfeeling metal of the room seemed to echo her cry but it was little more than a tinny mockery of her small voice. She was thrown into the chair and banded down with heavy manacles. Unable to move her hands she tried to summon up her inborn powers to free herself only to have the device around her neck deny her again.

"You make such a fuss," came a sadistic voice as its owner entered the room. "Children are meant to be seen and not heard after all."

"M-Master Palazzo?!" the girl looked up in shock to see the clown painted man entering the room. "B-But why?! Why are you holding me here? Is this another lesson?"

"No my dear," Kefka replied, his blood red cloak flowing behind him. I have much more important things for you. Your lessons are over... now you have everything you need to be what we wanted you to be all along."

"Wanted me?" she replied confused. "But aren't I your apprentice? Aren't I to become a Court Mage like you?"

"That was never the intention child," he replied with an evil chuckle. "You were to be a weapon... a powerful weapon... one that can kill and destroy with ease."

"But... but... I don't wanna hurt anyone!" the girl protested with tears in her eyes. Her trust was betrayed by the man she looked up to as almost a father figure. He had shown her nothing but kindness as a kindred spirit, one who also had the power of magic behind him. Now suddenly he was turning against her... using her. Even a child it seems to could feel the sting of betrayal. The collar around her neck could prevent her from using her powers, but even if they didn't put in on her, she would never be able to bring herself to harm her own mentor... not even now.

The two men that dragged her in left, leaving behind an ornate wooden box that Kefka was busing himself opening.

"Of course, you sensibilities will prevent you from being a proper weapon, so I'll have to improvise."

Terra wiggled at her restraints again trying to get free. She didn't want to be here anymore, she just wanted to go back to her room, get Nani her stuffed bear, and hide under the bed hoping everything would go back to normal soon. Then she saw the device he removed from the case and wondered what it was.

"With this slave crown I'll practically OWN you," he said almost triumphantly. The device was a round loop of metal, flat on the inside but rounded slightly on the outside. The reddish metal gleamed menacingly. At several points around the outside there appeared to be screw-like projections of twisted metal.

He brought it over to her. "Its an ingenious device really," he explained causally. Her face turned away and Kefka quickly grabbed her head and forced her to look at him and pay attention. "You see, these bits here... drill into your skull and insert leads into your gray matter. It modifies the electrical impulses of your brain so that you are susceptible to suggestion... it rewrites part of your mind to listen to the person who put it on you especially."

Terra looked at him fearfully... her little heart beating rapidly in her fear. "W-Will it hurt?"

"Hurt?" he echoed almost mockingly. "It won't hurt me one bit." He laughed sadistically again causing Terra to cringe in her seat. "You on the other hand..." Without further ceremony, he grabbed her chin and placed the crown on her head.

Immediately, sounds similar to electric drills started up and Terra began to scream. Blood poured from where the drills pushed there way into her head and her vision vibrated as the bones in her skull were bored though. They stopped as soon as they hit the end of the bone, leaving a bit of the metal on the outside still visible.

"P-Please Master!" Terra pleaded as both blood and tears were streaming with equal strength. "Please stop hurting me!"

"Calm yourself child," Kefka said calmly, as if he wasn't tormenting a little girl. "It will all be over soon."

A sharp pain made her jolt her head back as the lead wires entered her brain. All at once her body felt numb then on fire then numb again as the crown calibrated itself.

"Test time," Kefka said in a sing-song voice as he hit a hidden switch and the binds over Terra's wrists released. He removed the limiter from her neck and watched as she began to get her breath back. "You still with me child?"

Terra nodded, almost mechanically.

"Good! Good. Yavis!"

One of the soldiers from the hallway walked in.

"Yes sir?"

"Stand there." He obeyed. "Terra... kill him."

"Sir?" Yavis said hoping he didn't hear that right. Before he could respond, Terra raised a hand and spoke a word of power. A bolt of lightning lanced though the young corporal reducing him to ash instantly.

Kefka laughed maniacally. "It worked!" he yelled. "You are mine now child!"

Terra nodded mechanically again. But new tears were in her eyes. She was aware of what she just did... and she knew she couldn't stop herself.

* * *

_If only that were the worst of it,_ Terra thought to herself as she wandered along the starboard side.

* * *

**Four Years Ago**

* * *

Sixteen year old Terra Branford stood by in Kefka's room. The slave crown upon her head had adjusted and expanded with her growth. Somehow it didn't interfere with her hair, that kept growing despite the crown. She was dressed in a light outfit of silk, colored in a light green that matched her hair, but also cut far too risque for someone like her. Her hands were bound over her head by a chain that was attached to a pulley on the ceiling. Kefka walked over to her, taking in the sight and also looking into her eyes to ensure that the recent adjustments to the slave crown were done correctly.

Although she was obedient without question, the horror in her eyes was unmistakeable. Ever since she turned 16 , Kefka had found a new use for her. This use didn't serve the Empire, it only served him.

He stood before her, taking his time in removing the ties of her dress. She stood very still though her lip trembled slightly as she knew what was to come next. As pieces of the delicate cloth hit the floor more of her smooth skin became visible, some of it baring older scars; burns, cuts, bruises... evidence of Kefka's "love" for his old apprentice. Though this indignity had only been taking place for the past six months, it felt to Terra like she had been used this way for years. With the crown adjusted, she was going to be able to feel more of the pain.

This was a weekly ritual, one Kefka always looked forward to, and one no one else knew was happening. As far as Kefka was concerned no one else would ever know either... it wasn't their business.

The last piece of silk reached the floor and Kefka carefully folded it and placed it aside. Gooseflesh erupted over the girl's body as the cold of the room assaulted her slim frame.

"You are my plaything to do with as I wish," he said with an evil grin as he reached for his first implement of the evening... a metal rod with its end heated.

"I... am... your plaything," she repeated as tears already began to fall from her eyes. Her mind screamed at her to resist, break free, send this madman to an early grave. Even if The Emperor executed her for killing his Court Mage, it wouldn't matter... anything to end this insanity.

A gasp of pleasure erupted from her body as the iron touched her stomach just south and to the left of her naval. The other modification of the slave crown was also working it seemed, and it was one that would traumatize her forever...

… the crown rewired her nerves. It bypassed her normal pain receptors and wired them directly into the pleasure centers of her brain. It forced her to feel ungodly pleasure as her body was abused in ways that should have her writhing in agony. A line of her womanly fluids ran down her thigh as her body went from dry to gushing with wetness instantly. Her heart pounded in her chest, her legs wobbled slightly, but her arms were held fast by the chain and she couldn't fall.

Kefka lightly traced the burning end across her stomach in a lazy pattern causing Terra to gasp and moan and her body to leak uncontrollably.

"Pain has always been a unique pleasure of mine," he said almost seductively as he continued his work. "Now you too can enjoy it as I do. You will be the first to truly understand me, as you will now experience the world as I always have."

Putting down the poker, he picked up a knife instead. His un-gloved left hand traced across her modest breasts as if to enjoy their feel. Terra closed her eyes and let her breathing fall into a pattern. Kefka smiled slightly at the sight before he roughly clutched her right breast. She gasped as she felt the blade of the knife cut into the skin where the breast meets her cleavage. After licking the blood off the knife, he roughly pushed his thumb into the cut he made. Her back arched and she shrieked as she was forced nearly to orgasm by the pain.

"Your flesh feels wonderful Terra, and your pain is delicious." He bent down, biting hard into the flesh at the top of her breast forcing her to cry out and orgasm.

Hours of this continued on, and several forced releases later, Terra was all but hanging from the chain. Her body couldn't take much more rough treatment, and blood was doting almost every part of her. Numerous cuts and new bruises would be added to her collection... this was the worst he had ever treated her.

Kefka laughed. "I should have done this year ago! Children scream so much better you know. Of course I probably wouldn't have rewired your brain first but... meh. Now its so much better though. You've become quite a beautiful young woman you know."

"Thank... you... M-Master," Terra's addled mind manged.

"Well now that I'm all hot an bothered, I should probably go relieve myself, so hang out for a bit will you?" He was about to leave when he stopped. "But... I'd be missing an opportunity wouldn't I?"

Terra's mind saw the horror of what was to come and tried to shut itself off... but the crown forced her to stay awake, stay lucid. She knew it would make her enjoy the act and it was a memory she didn't want... couldn't handle... the torture was bad enough... but now...

Kefka had plenty of time... he could have simply put her down and did her on his bed... but Kefka had little patience for this. He simply needed to get off so he could concentrate... there was little joy in this. In fact, to him the entire need to "release himself" was a distraction from his true desires... but eventually he'd go into sensory overload and he had no choice but to submit to it.

He simply fumbled with his pants before he began... he didn't bother letting her down and simply held her in place while he used her body to fulfill his needs.

"I'm actually a little sorry about this," he said as he thrust into her. "I hate being a man sometimes." There was little joy in his eyes as he looked into hers. "I often wondered what this would be like... I have to say, I don't see what the big deal is... in fact... this really isn't working... something's missing... I know." he reached up and hit a switch on the slave crown.

Suddenly all the pain Terra had experienced was shifted from her pleasure centers to her pain receptors. Her face suddenly contorted into agony, causing her to cry out in pain. Her body clamped around Kefka as her tormented screams drove him to the edge of ecstasy. Within a minute of her tormented cries and her body trying to crush his organ inside of her, Kefka released within her, punctuating the moment by biting into her shoulder hard enough get her to cry out in pain even more.

He let go, removing himself from her in that same instance. The pain made Terra black out and hang from the chains. Kefka got his breath back and immediately began laughing hysterically as if this was the best thing he had seen in his entire life.

* * *

**Three Years, Nine Months Ago**

* * *

Rebellion erupted across Vector. Soldier realized what madness the Gesthalian Empire was attempting and they decided to try to take the capital. Kefka and his slave were piloting separate Magi-Tek Armored Units at the time.

Kefka moved his unit forward and Terra matched his stride. Though she was still lucid within her own mind, she couldn't stop the catastrophe around her and lamented. She knew what would happen next... she would soon have more blood on her hands. Her one thought of solace was that General Leo Cristophe had taken a much bigger interest in her in recent months meaning her exposure to her old Master was minimal. The torture and rape had ended for the time being. Terra could only hope that he continued to take such interest and keep the mad clown as far from her as possible.

"Terra! Neutralize the threat! Burn them!"

"Yes Master," she replied instantly and pushed her unit forward. A large group of rebel soldiers rushed her with weapons drawn... their faces twisted in righteous fury...

Her unit roared as Terra gave it the command to fire. Its great head stretched forward and the massive metal jaw opened unleashing a massive blast of pure arcane fire. Buildings, men and even the street itself ignited instantly. A few of the men were lucky and were reduced to ash in the blink of an eye, while the rest cried out in unimaginable agony before their minds started shutting down from the sheer pain of feeling their muscles cooking inside their bodies.

Kefka laughed aloud. "YES!" he screamed. "That's it! Burn everything! Burn them all! I want to watch it all burn to ash! Every soldier! Every building! Destroy it all!"

* * *

Terra finally snapped herself out of the memory, but something continued to gnaw at her... something she still didn't remember... but what? Her recent memories and dreams especially were haunting her as if something of dire importance was missing from her mind, but no matter what she did, she couldn't reclaim the memory.

Terra walked back below decks... she had to try to get some kind of sleep. Perhaps she should try to talk to Setzer... he said he wouldn't judge her...

But no. The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't do it. The memories of her time under the influence of the Slave Crown would be her cross to bare for the rest of her existence.

She sighed as the thoughts of what had happened to her faded away again. Maybe she could sleep for the rest of the night... maybe she could begin to forget these horrible memories once more and start to reclaim her life...

* * *

**Three years, Four Months Ago**

* * *

Terra made no sounds as her body was sown back up.

"Chances are she'll never have children again," Cid reported to Emperor Gestahl. "The damage to her womb is severe... but we managed to save the child."

"Do we know who did this?" He asked.

"My lord, I could venture a guess, but I know you will not take action."

"I see," the Emperor replied. "Well then. Make sure this knowledge doesn't leave this room."

Nearby, in an incubation cylinder, a premature eight month old baby girl floated in a nutrient rich fluid.

"What of the child my lord?"

Gestahl walked over to the incubation cylinder and looked inside at the baby.

"Will she survive?" he asked.

"Uncertain," Cid replied. "If she does though... she may be our last hope of creating a reproducible specimen."

"Have her moved to Sector Beta," he ordered. And left the area before Cid could object.

As he entered into the main hallway leading back towards the palace, he ran into General Vrax, one of the most successful of the Magi-Tech Knights. He was a huge man of over six and one half feet tall, dressed in armor that was almost draconic in design."You will go to Sector Beta with the child and take care of her."

"Me?" he asked. "I'm a warrior, not a daycare specialist."

"You're trustworthy," he countered. "I don't think I can trust Leo with this... and I know I can't trust Kefka considering he's responsible for it. If he knew Terra had a daughter, he'd stop at nothing to either control it or kill it. Take the child to the facility then report to Cid in two weeks telling him she didn't survive, even if she does. Let him think the child is dead."

"Very well my Lord," he replied.

"I'm counting on you."

"I will raise her as if she were my own," he said grimly. "I guess it is well I have no family left alive to tie me to the capital... I have a feeling I'll be at Sector Beta for quite some time..."

* * *

_Life planed out before my birth, nothing could I say_

_Had no chance to see myself, molded day by day  
_

_Looking back I realize, nothing have I done  
_

_Left to die with only friend, alone I clench my gun  
_

_-"Metallica, Disposable Heroes"  
_

* * *

**END**


End file.
